Panel-fastening means



q 192 a 0d J. w. STERBENZ PANEL FASTENING MEANS Filed Sept.l7, 1925 4 INVENTOR JOHN W STCRBENZ ATTORNEY.

Patented Oct. 11, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PANEL-FASTENING MEANS.

Application filed September This invention is a fastening means particularly adapted for securing a panel on the front of an arm of an upholstered chair, clavenport, or the like, hereinafter referred to as a chair, which is provided with a removable ornamental cover ;,the cover extending over the inner and outer sides of the arm and around the front of the same, and the panel being detachably secured in place on the front of the arm and overlying the removable cover.

It is the object of the invention to provide means for securely fastening the panel in place or quickly removing the same with minimum effort and by an extremely simple operation.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a fastening means whichis automatically adjustable so as to fix the panel snugly in place irrespective of the thickness of the ornamental cover which the panel overlies.

The-invention will be readily understood from the following description of the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of an upholstered chair partly disassembled to permit the placing of a removable ornamental cover thereon, and showing one of the arm panels in place and the other removed from the chair.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section through the front of an arm of the chair showing the ornamental cover and the arm panel removed.

Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the orna-- mental cover and arm panel in place.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the fastening means for the detachable arm panel.

An upholstered chair of a type adapted to receive a removable cover is illustrated as comprising back 1, having side arms 2 hinged thereto as shown at 3, the side arms forming supports 4; at the base of their inner sides for a removable seat (not shown). The parts are fixed in place with the seat mounted between the arms and the latter swung to normal position, by locking means cooperating with sockets 5 at the base of the inner sides of the front portion of the arms 2.

The chair as thus described is of usual upholstered construction covered with lining material 6; and a removable ornamental cover is drawn over the outer surface of back 1 and arms 2, and is provided with integral extensions 7 for the inner surface of 17, 1925. Serial No. 56,816.

the back and arms, and integral extensions v 8 connecting the covering for the inner and outer surfaces of the arms and adapted .to be pulled down over the front of the arms. The seat of the chair is provided with a separate removable cover. 7 V

The locking means having been disconnected from sockets 5 and the seat removed as shown in Fig. 1, the arms 2 are swung outwardly and the removable cover is placed upon the chair, the loose edges of the cover being fixed by suitable fastening means to surfaces of the chair which are normally concealed, but which are exposed when the chair is thus disassembled. The cover may thus be readily secured in place, and the fastening means for the edges thereof are completely hidden when the chair is again locked in its normal assembled position.

Extensions 8 of the cover which are drawn downover the front of arms 2, are preferably fixed in place by detachable fastening means, shown as eyelets 9 receivedover snap fasteners 10 which are mounted in recesses 11 in the front of the chair arms After the removable cover is in, place, ornamental panels 12 are mounted on the front of arms 2 overthe extensions 8, so as' to conceal the recesses 11 and the fasteners 10, the, panels being firmly held in place but adapted for convenient removal to permitwithdrawal of the ornamental cover of the chair.

The fastening means sist of notched prongs 13 projecting from the innerv surfaces of the panels, withthe notches 14 atsthe lower edges .of the prongs cooperating with beveled lips 15 on plates 16 which are mounted on the front of arms 2 in the recesses 11.

The recesses 11 are of such depth that plates 16 and snap fasteners 10 lie wholly within the same, and the prongs 13 are of such length that one or the other of the notches therein may engage the cooperating lip 15 irrespective of the thickness of the interposed layer of cover 8, in order that panels 12 may fit snugly against the front of arms 2. i

Prongs 13 are provided with lips 17 having screw holes 18 so that the prongs may be fixed on the inner sides of the panels; and plate-s 16 are similarly provided with screw holes 19 so that they may be fixed against the bottoms of recesses 11. The plates 16 are vertically slotted at their upfor the panels con slots and lips, so that prongs 13 may ex-,

tend through eyelets 22 and be received through slots20, so as to project into open-' 'ings 23 until the panels 12 fit snugly the front of the chairarms.

When the panels are in place, they are forced downwardly slightly, thereby shifting prongs 13 in the slots 20 so that lips 15 engage the notched edges 14 of the prongs;

:The panels are thus securely held against accidental displacement,but may be readily removed by simply elevating the same to disengage the'notches' 14 from the cooperating lips 15, and then withdrawing prongs 13 from slots 20 and I claim:

1. A device of the character described comprising a chair having recesses in the front of its arms with vertically elongated slots opening through said arms at the bases through eye-lets 22.

'of said recesses, a removable cover for the chair having v extensions adapted to be drawn over the front of the arms, cooperatng'engaglng means 1n said recesses and on said extensions, panels adapted to overlie said extensions and conceal the engaging means and the recesses, prongs projecting fromtheback of the panels and notched at their lower edges, and cooperating retaining plates vertically slotted downwardly "from their upper, edges with said verticalslots terminating in transverse horizontal lips, said retainingplates belng adapted for "mounting fiat against the bases of said recesses with the slots of said plates in alinement with the slots in the chair arms, the

prongson the panelsbeing adapted toproagainst ject through said alined slots to prevent transverse displacement of the panels, and

'the lips of the retaining plates being adapted to engage one of the notches of the respective prongs for fixing the panels relative to the chair arms, or said lips of the retaining plates-disengaging the notches of the prongs through vertical shifting of the panels to permit removal of the latter, the removable chair cover having vertical elongated openings in alinementwith the said alined slots to receive the prongs therethrough and permit vertical shifting of the panels, and the panels being of suflicient weight to hold the same against vertical shifting when the prongs and retaining plates are engaged.

2. Means for detachably fastening a panel flat against a supporting surface having a vertically elongated slot opening therethrough, comprising a prong projecting from the back of the panel and notched at its lower edge, and a cooperating retaining plate verticallyslotted downwardly from its upper edge with said vertical slot terminatmg in a transverse horizontal lip, said retaining plate being adapted for mounting flat against the supporting surface with the slot of the plate in alinement with the slot in the supporting surface, whereby the prong is adapted to project through the alined slots to prevent transverse displacement of the panel, with the lip of the retaining plate engaging one of the notches of the prong for fixing the panel relative to the supporting surface, or said lip disengaging the notches of the prongs through vertical shifting of the panel to permit removal of the latter from the supporting surface, and the panel being of sufficient weight to holdit against vertical shifting when the prong and retaining plate are engaged.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature to this specification.

' JOHN W. STERBENZ. 

